Lorry driver held for allegedly abusing stepchild, five

ISKANDAR PUTERI: A 27-year-old lorry driver has been arrested for allegedly abusing his five-year-old stepdaughter.

It is learnt police reports were made by the girl’s babysitter and kindergarten teacher on Monday when they noticed bruises on her cheeks and back.

Iskandar Puteri OCPD Supt Noor Hashim Mohamad said the suspect tested positive for methamphetamine and has been remanded for seven days for further investigation.

“The case is being investigated under Section 31 (1) (a) of the Child Act 2001. If convicted, the suspect faces a maximum fine of RM20,000, jail of up to 10 years, or both,” he said.

On another matter, six suspects aged between 19 and 44 years old were arrested on Tuesday for threatening a woman at her office at Taman Laman Indah, Kangkar Pulai, in Johor Baru.

Supt Noor Hashim said the woman claimed seven men demanded protection money from her employer.

“They wanted his contact number and when she refused to give it to them, they said they would come back to cause trouble,” he said, adding that the suspects claimed that the area “belonged” to them.

Four of the six suspects tested positive for methamphetamine and two were identified as members of a notorious gang.

Supt Noor Hashim said they were also being investigated on suspicion of blackmailing and threatening people in construction sites around Kangkar Pulai in 2016.

On a third matter, he said two men and a woman aged 26 to 28 have been arrested for burglary and robbery.

“They have been stealing cars and breaking into houses around the Iskandar Puteri area since January.

“They will observe the targeted house and ring the doorbell to check if anyone is home before breaking in and stealing their cars,” he said, adding that the suspects also tested positive for methamphetamine.